Burrard Thermal Plant

Port Moody Industry Profile

Burrard Generating Station (BGS) located in the North West area of Port Moody is a 900 megawatt conventional natural gas-fired generating station. It is BC Hydro’s only conventional steam-electrical thermal plant. It is powered by natural gas, a clean burning fuel, delivered by a pipeline owned by FortisBC. Burrard Generating Station accounts for approximately 9% of BC Hydro’s total capacity – enough power for about 700,000 homes.

In November 2013 the Province announced that BC Hydro will stop generating electricity at Burrard Generating Station (Burrard) by 2016. At that time, the generating capability at Burrard will no longer be required after the addition of two hydro-electric generating units at Mica Dam (north of Revelstoke), completion of the Interior to Lower Mainland (ILM) transmission line and installation of a new transformer at Meridian substation in Coquitlam.

In the meantime, there will be no immediate changes to the plant and personnel, as they continue to be required until these major capital investments have been completed. The site will continue to be owned and operated by BC Hydro. Burrard will continue to provide voltage support to the BC Hydro transmission and distribution system in the Lower Mainland.

Burrard Generating Station was constructed in the 1960’s and 70’s over which time six 150 MW generating units were put into service. The first unit was commissioned in 1962 and the last unit was completed in 1975.

Key Facts:

Established in the 1960’s

77 full time employees.

74 hectares plus 4 hectares leased from Port Metro Vancouver.

900 megawatt conventional natural gas-fired generating station.

BC Hydro’s only conventional steam-electrical thermal plant.

Powered by natural gas, a clean burning fuel, delivered by a pipeline owned by FortisBC.

Burrard Generating Station accounts for approximately 9% of BC Hydro’s total capacity – enough power for about 700,000 homes.

BGS provides back-up for the electrical system and transmission support.

Significant investments have been made to reduce air emissions, which have resulted in a 90% reduction in oxides of nitrogen (NOx) emissions.

Operates a Water permit from the Ministry of Environment which governs the seawater returned to Burrard Inlet as part of the cooling water system for the plant

Operates Air Emissions permit from Metro Vancouver Regional District which governs NOx and other air emissions.

BGS is the only natural gas-fired generating plant of its type in North America that has installed selective catalytic reduction technology to reduce NOx.